LIFE ENV/S/000868 EU LIFE-ENVIRONMENT PROJECT

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO SHOW NEW WAYS TO INCREASE THE RECREATIONAL BENEFITS OF URBAN WOODLANDS

Urban Woods for People The urban woodlands fulfil several important functions. In addition to beautifying our surroundings, urban woodlands provide a diverse and healthy recreational environment. With proper planning and upkeep, these woodlands can be made recreationally more stimulating and safe.

FOREWORD

Stakeholder – the term used to describe different groups and interests in society who in some way make use of urban woodlands.

the objective of the joint swedish–french EU LifeEnvironment Project “Urban Woods for People” is to demonstrate new ways of increasing the recreational benefits of urban woodlands. During the period 2001 – 2005, over 40 activities were carried out in the pilot woodlands; Skutan, Norra Djurgården, Huddinge (14 woodland areas) all situated in suburban Stockholm, Sweden and the Sénart forest located outside Paris, France. The final documentation of the “Urban Woods for People” project consists of two parts, a technical report and a layman’s report. The latter is intended for a wider readership and is written to explain the project objectives and the results obtained to decision-makers and other non-technical partners. We also hope that the layman report will inspire those interested in increasing the recreational value of urban woodlands. The final project report, including the various subprojects, can be found on www.svo.se/urbanwoods Photo: Richard Karlsson

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GUIDES – ONE WAY OF BEING TEMPTED OUT TO NATURE!

fewer and fewer people today have a natural relationship Two important target to forests and woodlands. In the “Urban Woods for People” groups for the project. project, we wanted to see if the use of guides could attract Photo: Richard Karlsson people who normally were unaccustomed to being out in the woods. Over 10 000 participants took the opportunity to get to know their local woodland environment. SUCCESS FACTORS

A suitable nature guide is a good communicator, characterised by

enthusiasm and teaching talent. The right person. A guide must be prepared to vary working hours and meet the visitors on their terms. Choose attractive sites for guiding. A rich and bio-diverse location offers experiences throughout the seasons and when revisiting. Subsidise guiding costs so that it is free of charge for schools and children’s groups. This minimises the exclusion of cost sens-

itive groups. Instead, positive spin-off effects can be expected since children influence other family members into coming out to the location. Think local. Use the local press for marketing and encourage local associations in creating interesting and attractive theme outings.

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CLICK YOURSELF OUT AND ABOUT!

an ongoing dialogue between the administrator or manager and visitor is especially needed in woodlands that are under high recreational pressure. On the website www.djurgarden.se the general public and the administrator can communicate in a simple yet open manner. Apart from finding information on upcoming forest management operations, the visitor can find ideas on what to do, such as where to bird watch, where barbecue sites are located or the distance of the ski-track. A search engine assists the visitor in locating his place of interest on the map. On www.djurgarden.se, The website www.natur. you are able to communica- huddinge.se is another nate directly with the manager. ture portal especially developed by the project. Here all the pilot woodlands in Huddinge are marketed and members of the public can book or make contact with a guide. New content is added on a regular basis resulting in a growing number of visitors, both out in the woods and on the Internet. SUCCESS FACTORS;

Broad content that includes suggestions. A website con-

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The visitors at www.natur.huddinge.se are able to print out the maps that give information about trails, parking facilities and public transportation.

taining broad content attracts more visitors. By all means supplement the website with information and suggestions, for example about recreation in the forest and fishing opportunities. Website editor in the know. The website editor should be in

The number of visitors at www.natur.huddinge.se has doubled since the start of the project.

the know and, ideally, employed within the municipal forest or environment department. Keep it simple. Always plan for a solution that does not require more maintenance than you are able to deliver. For instance the nature images on our websites follow seasonal changes. Be open-minded. Use the website to find out what visitors want and ask for. Illustrate. The use of images and illustrations help emphasise and clarify information or a key message. In this way, people with limited language skills can understand at least part of the information available. Supplement with printed materials. Not everyone has access to a computer and the Internet. Thus an informative brochure that complements the website is useful. The forest stimulates the imagination. A subproject in Sénart wanted to show that it is possible to attract new visitor groups to the forest by organising an art exhibition. Competing in five categories, a total of 296 artists from 10 nations took part. Here is the installation of “Business Meeting” by Susanne Hesselberg. Photo: Johanna From

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Photo: Richard Karlsson

22 SUGGESTIONS – HOW TO INCREASE THE RECREATIONAL VALUE OF URBAN WOODLANDS

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1. Nature was first! Reflect over the thought that an urban area is in fact an integral part of nature, and not the other way round! 2. Search the essence. As administrator or manager it is vital to understand and appreciate the particular atmosphere and essence of a given nature location. – If you are unfamiliar with it then ask the visitors. 3. Keep the atmosphere! The atmosphere of a location must be kept or developed even after any management operations. 4. Use symbols. The use of easy to recognize symbols is one way of making information easier to understand. 5. Outdoor brochure quality. If you want to use brochures that are weather resistant, consult a trade specialist. For instance a printer or advertising agency can advise on suitable paper quality and colour. 6. Use brochure dispensers. The use of brochure dispensers can prove to be a sufficient and low cost alternative to reach visitors. Take into account the risk of vandalism when deciding where to place the brochure dispensers. 7. Advance accessibility description. Bear in mind that it is difficult from an ordinary map to judge how accessible a path or trail is. For families with small children, the elderly and the physically impaired, accessibility and prior information on the prevailing conditions is of particular importance. 8. Easy to get to. Getting to a woodland is just as important as getting around inside the woodland itself. Make allowances for additional investment, such as for pedestrian and cycle paths as well as sufficient road signs. 9. Attractive entrances. Design entrances to recreational areas so that they are not only accessible but also attractive and inviting. 10. Signs visible year round. Make sure that all signs to and within a recreational area are clearly visible regardless of season.

11. Directions for all modes of transport. Ensure that clear directions are available for car, cycle and public transport to the recreational areas that are to be marketed. 12. Adapt to public transport. Always try to make it possible to reach a recreational area using public transport. 13. Keep information fresh. Just like websites on the Internet, outdoor notice boards also need regular updating. 14. Measure visits. Measuring of recreation and its spread over the day and year gives valuable information when it comes to planning future management objectives for a recreational area. 15. Repeat measurement with same method. Use the same method again. Always demand full documentation of the method to be used when measuring recreation. 16. Adapt to suit children. Children are practically minded and appreciate simple side events and activities. 17. Leave “building” materials. Make it easier for children to play their own games by leaving logging residue suitable for building huts and shelters. 18. Find out how people think. Children often have a misguided view of nature. Just like many adults they tend to view nature as being something static. 19. Children and adults have different preferences. Children are drawn towards younger densely stocked stands or thickets for playing whereas adults prefer older, more mature woodlands. 20. Renew. Keep an open mind with regard to new activities in the woodland. 21. Silence is an attraction. Use it. 22. Follow up and develop. Keep in mind that the making of a successful recreational area is a result of continual development based on feedback rather than a one off operation.

An example of brochure dispensers used in Norra Djurgården. Photo: Henrik Niklasson

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LET EVERYONE HAVE THEIR SAY!

Manager discussing with visitors in Sénart. Photo: Cyril Campana

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one way of indirectly generating support is to research how the general public uses the woodlands as they are, how they would like them to be and how they would like them to be managed. In Sénart we took public participation a step further. We wanted to see if it was possible to bring together representatives from the 14 municipalities and 150 different groups and organisations, and together agree upon the long term objectives for the pilot forest. After 50 meetings a framework document regulating all activities within the forest, was agreed. Taking 24 months to complete, the objectives for Sénart are now firmly approved by both politicians and citizens. The interest for the forest has increased, both in terms of visitors and allocated resources. As a result of everybody having taken part in the goal formulation process, there is now much wider acceptance for management operations and recreational activities that earlier would have caused conflict. The document is available on www.onf.fr

Public participation can also be gained at regional level. By forming a stakeholder committee the experience from Hauts de Seine, west of Paris, showed that public participation could also be a successful concept, even when several woodlands are included. In order to increase the recreational value of privately owned urban woodland, local and regional cooperation of stakeholder character is critical. Within the project a model for cooperation has been developed showing how one can enhance cooperation between landowner, municipality and the general public. Read more in the document Ways to more efficent cooperation in private forests close to urban areas available on www.svo.se/urbanwoods SUCCESS FACTORS

Allow enough time for meetings. It takes a lot of time in the

beginning but saves time in the future as the number of conflicts is likely to be less. Seek out the indifferent. Actively seek out groups that do not show any initial interest in having a say. Use smaller groups. Divide the participants into smaller theme or interest groups so that more feel that their voice is heard. Let the participants find solutions. Allow groups to work out suggestions for solutions in cases where conflict of interest becomes apparent. Further information about different ways to measure recreation can be found in the handbook “Visitor studies in nature areas – a manual” by Anders Lindhagen, SLU and Ingemar Ahlström available in Swedish and English on www.svo.se/forlaget

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ACCESSIBILITY IS A CONDITION FOR INVOLVEMENT!

The handbook Access to the forests for disabled people by Ylva Lundell, SLU provides suggestions on what an urban woodland manager should consider in regard to accessibility for people with mobility impairments. It is also intended to inspire and give guidance for more enriching nature experiences for those with mobility impairments, their families and organisations. The handbook published in both Swedish and English can be ordered on www.svo.se/forlaget

Birdwatchtower accessible for everyone. Photo: Richard Karlsson

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people with limited mobility have the same need of relaxation and recreation as people without such limitations. The vast majority of forests and woodlands are however often inaccessible for them. Furthermore there are barriers in terms of public attitude, knowledge and imagination. Most of these barriers can be overcome if issues addressing accessibility are made during the planning phase. In each of the pilot woodlands, Skutan, Ågestasjön and Sénart, the project has shown examples of concrete measures that improve the accessibility to and within urban woodlands for people with limited mobility. As an added bonus it was found that more elderly and families with small children also visit the woodlands. You will get hold of a group of enthusiastic and experienced experts in accessibility issues, willingly to answer questions by contacting www. dhr.se – Swedish Federation of Disable Persons.

Road barrier in Sénart accessible for all but cars. Photo: Johanna From

SUCCESS FACTORS

Inform route planners. Take into account that public transport is generally not able to cater for those with limited mobility. Problems can occur when ordering special transport service if the destination is given as “the wood”. Make sure that the problem is addressed with those in charge of organising such transport services. Bus stops by the entrance. Entrances to recreational areas can also be integrated as a normal destination stop for public transport. Inform local organisations. Establish the concept of increased nature accessibility with local association branches for those with limited mobility. Contact elderly care services. Do not forget to inform the elderly care services when recreational areas have been adapted to cater for those with limited mobility. Handrails at the right height. Note also that handrails on bird watching towers tend often to be at eye level for children and wheelchairs users. Integration. The ability to come out into nature is a way of feeling involved in society. There is no typical immigrant perspective on how nature is perceived. Yet as the report Immigrants in

“Remember, what is good for me will sooner or later be good for you”, says Nils Duwähl, who himself is confined to wheelchair, when asked about accessibility for those with limited mobility.

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nature close to urban settings shows there can be numerous barriers to overcome first before getting out and about. The report gives suggestions of how circumstances for immigrants can be improved in order to attract them into making the most of nature. Especially important is the use of interest stimulating activities such as outings and guided tours. The report is available on www.svo.se/urbanwoods. The project has also produced the brochure “Discover Nature” which is intended to inspire visiting urban nature. It has been translated into Arabic, Persian, Serbo-Croatian, English, Spanish and beginners Swedish. The brochure can be ordered on www.svo.se/forlaget. The material is ideal for use educational purposes within SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) and other integration promotional projects.

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PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL!

by a plan is understood a well thought out operational programme to reach a certain objective. “Urban Woods for People” has prepared four examples of recreational plans adjusted for nature close to urban areas. 1. Multiple use plan for municipality owned land www. svo.se/urbanwoods

2. Multiple use plan for areas under high recreational pressure www.svo.se/urbanwoods 3. Green Forest plan for privately owned woodland close to urban areas. www. svo.se/urbanwoods 4. Multiple use plan drawn up using a stakeholder committee. www.onf.fr Such specially adapted recreational plans are mainly used in areas where there is a high occurrence of utilising the woodland for recreational purposes, in other words urban woodlands. However, one can also use such adapted recreational plans for woodlands that are used for activities like horseback riding andhunting. SUCCESS FACTORS

Leads visitors to designated areas. An adapted recreational plan can

be used regardless if it is for private or publicly owned land and can be used to direct stakeholders to a selected part of the estate. Legitimises wood production. The plan also validates wood production as a legitimate primary objective in other sectors of the estate as it shows what recreational considerations have been prioritised in the selected locations. Easier management. If the primary objective is not wood production the plan makes forest estate management easier. Provides good negotiating base. The plan provides a good starting point when negotiating infringements or adapted forest management operations as it contains both a value assessment and suggestions for forest management measures adapted for recreational purposes.

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Forest management and rights of usage regulated in a recreational contract. A recreational contract is a useful long lasting tool

to increase the recreational value of privately owned urban woodland. A recreational contract can also be included in a Green Forest management plan. TEN PIECES OF ADVICE FOR URBAN WOODLAND MANAGEMENT

1. The management regime should be in the spirit of multiple use. 2. Let the well thought out objectives steer management of the woodland. 3. Manage the woodland dynamically. 4. Let forest areas and individual trees to become old. 5. Increase the share of deciduous trees. 6. Use natural regeneration as a restocking method whenever possible and make use of spontaneous regeneration. 7. Establish and create new woods, new glades and new water courses. The map with suggestions 8. Adjust forest management operations keeping the stakeon new objective classifica- holders in mind. tion provides a good base 9. Seek cost efficient methods but avoid large scale operations. for discussion in the urban 10. Use forest management operations as a way of increasing woodland as the map public awareness and appreciation of woodlands. shows which objectives steer management operations for the different areas.

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From the handbook Our urban nature – a book about administration and management www.svo.se/forlaget

PUBLICATIONS

compared to many other forms of land management, working with nature that is close to urbanized areas involves a higher degree of working with people for people. To simplify the task of increasing the recreational value of urban woodlands, this project has produced a number of handbooks and reports as it was felt that such literature was missing from the market place. Our urban nature – a book on management. Vår tätortsnära natur – en bok om förvaltning och skötsel. 2004. Swedish. Dan Rydberg, Regional Forestry Board of Södra Götaland and Mårten Aronsson, National Board of Forestry. The book is written for administrators, landowners and anyone interested in having a good natural environment close to their residence or work place. The book can be ordered on www. svo.se/forlaget The management of urban woodlands. Gérer les forêts périurbaines. 2005. French. Thierry Moigneu, et.al. ONF, CD and book. A summary of current European urban woodland management and practice, the book is written for administrators and forest managers. The book can be ordered on www.onf.fr Nature and Health. Natur och Hälsa. 2005. Swedish. Editors Royne Andersson, Board of Forestry and Dan Rydberg, Regional Forestry Board of Södra Götaland. The book describes the relationship between recreation in nature and good health. It is written for the general public but people who work with professional healthcare, personal assistance, recreation and lifestyle as well as decision-makes can also find interesting reading. The book can be ordered on www.svo.se/forlaget Meetingpoint Nature. Mötesplats Naturen. 2005. Swedish. Editors Ylva Birkne and Sofia Grönberg, Regional Forestry Board of Västra Götaland. The contents promote walks and other activities in the forest. The brochure is meant for the general public and can be ordered on www.svo.se/forlaget

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS FROM “URBAN WOODS FOR PEOPLE”

the following publications are available on www.svo.se/ urbanwoods

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Newsletter 1-6. Swedish, English and French Urban Woods – to be used by everyone, 2004. English. Conference Proceedings, Clive Davies, North East Community Forests, England. Interim Report Urban Woods for People, 2003. English. Final Report Urban Woods for People, 2005. English. Findings from the survey Your thoughts on “Urban Woods for People”. 2004. English. Johanna From, Regional Forestry Board of Mälardalen. A study of the number of visitors in three urban woods in the Stockholm area using Radio Beam Counter technique, nr 38 2004. Swedish. Michael Lundin, Dept. of Forest Products and Markets, SLU, Uppsala. Interviews and surveys in three urban forest areas in the Stockholm region, nr 21, 2003. Swedish. Ulf Eriksson, Dept. of Forest Products and Markets, SLU, Uppsala. Municipality owned forest in Sweden: a questionnaire and interview study of social and economic values of the urban forests, nr 42, 2005. Swedish. Jonas Lundquist, Dept. of Forest Products and Markets, SLU, Uppsala. Immigrants in nature close to urban settings: qualitative interviews concerning views and utilization and proposed measures to increase usage, nr 22, 2003. Swedish. Lovisa Blomqvist, Dept. of Forest Products and Markets, SLU, Uppsala. The current situation for private forest owners. 2002. Swedish. Mattias Eriksson, Regional Forestry Board of Mälardalen. Planning for recreation – Green Forest plan for privately owned urban woodland. 2004. Swedish. Mattias Eriksson. Regional Forestry Board of Mälardalen. Ways to more efficient cooperation in private forests close to urban areas. 2004. Swedish. Mattias Eriksson. Regional Forestry Board of Mälardalen.

publications that can be ordered on [email protected]

Educational tools. 2002. French. Guy Spagnol, ONF Recreational Zoning, 2005. French. Thierry Moigneu, ONF. Silence Zoning. 2005. French. Thierry Moigneu, ONF. Listing a forest landscape’s atmosphere, Methodology study, 2005. French. Peter Breman, ONF. Forest entrances, 2005. Cyril Campana, ONF. Reclaiming Spoilt Environments, 2005. French. Cyril Campana, ONF. Information Signs, 2005. French. Cyril Campana, ONF. Litter Management, 2004. French. Céline Brun Buisson ONF. Forest educational programme for children, 2004. French. Céline Brun Buisson, ONF. Towards multi-stakeholder forest management, 2005. French. Cyril Campana, ONF. Accessibility for people with limited mobility, 2005. French. Cyril Campana, ONF Stakeholder requests through surveys, 2005. French. Cyril Campana, ONF. Forest Archaeology, 2005. French. Cécile Dardignac, ONF. Sen'Art – Art in the forest, 2005. French. G. Benaily ONF. Paths, 2005. French. Cyril Campana ONF. Volunteers in the Forest, 2005. French. Miroslava Kusa, ONF. Deciding on multi-stakeholder forest management for Hauts de Seine forest, 2005. French. John Bruneval, ONF. Public participation in forest management, 2005. French. John Bruneval, ONF. Shakeholders requests regarding the State owned Hauts de Seines Forest, 2005. French. Johan Bruneval, ONF Multi-stakeholder forest management – a general review of the City of Paris initiative, 2005. French. Johan Bruneval, ONF. Suggestions for connecting towns and the Hauts-de-Seine forests, 2005. French. John Bruneval, ONF.

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publications available on www.onf.fr Under the Trees 2003. French, Film, ONF. Forest Opinions, State-of-the-Art Conference literature, 2002. French and English. J.P. Baltin, ONF. the following brochure can be ordered on www.kdf.se The Royal Djurgården nature park is always open, brochure with map, 2003. Swedish. Henrik Niklasson, The Royal Djurgården Administration.

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REFLECTIONS

the experiences and end products from the project “Urban Woods for People” can be described as a toolbox full of customised tools that make work, with developing the qualities of urban woodlands, easier. An increase in the quality of urban woodlands means that society is better equipped to meet the need of urban residents, the need to retreat to surroundings with less noise and air pollution, an environment that also stimulates recreation and relaxation. The results of the project can also be regarded as a contribution to the European Union’s work with the sixth action programme for the environment, Environment 2010 – Our Future – Our Choice. A QUESTION OF ATTITUDE!

The projects results show that even with simple steps, it is possible to increase the recreational benefits of urban woodlands. The most important attribute of an administrator or manager is having the right attitude and seeing the possibilities. Several of the products and actions have demonstrated that it is possible to generate interest for local woodland areas, even amongst members of the public who otherwise do not make use of such natural amenities. Good planning and a well thought out strategy based on the expectations, demands and needs of those living within the vicinity of a nature zone, are critical in the development of it. Therefore the measurement of recreation – in terms of both quality and quantity should always be considered before setting objectives for a given nature zone. USEFUL EXPERIENCES FOR OTHERS

All the subprojects within “Urban Woods for People” can be applied to other kinds of urban nature areas. Judging by the interest in the project shown by the various target groups, we confidently assume that the distribution of the results throughout Europe will be easy. Two international conferences, held in Paris respective Stockholm, were organised by the project along with one international and several national training courses. In all, these events

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Photo: Richard Karlsson

drew approximately 400 people from 26 countries and are important factors for spreading the project results to a wider audience. Although based on urban woodlands, the know-how documented in the handbooks can also be of use when planning other outdoor environments. How to create wetlands and ways of increasing accessibility for people with mobility impairments are two such examples. The websites are all gathered under a portal making it easy and cost effective for other administrators and landowners to join. In this way expensive start up costs can be avoided. The project has already begun discussions with several new partners. Experiences gained from “Urban Woods for People” will also be integrated into the daily operation of the main project partners, the National Board of Forestry, the Regional Forestry Board of Mälardalen in Sweden and the Office National des Forêts, ONF, in France. In particular the lessons learnt in the subprojects about stakeholder involvement at local (Sénart) and regional (Hauts de Seine) levels. INNOVATIVE ASPECTS

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All the handbooks and manuals can be described as innovative as they all contribute to fulfilling a need of new knowledge that is sought after by administrators, forest managers, urban planners and others who work with urban nature zones. The use of zoning methods to direct stakeholders of urban woodlands (Sénart) and the use of the Internet to vastly improve communication between stakeholder and administrator (Huddinge and Norra Djurgården), are innovation of national significance. In Sweden the project was one of the pioneers in highlighting New Swedes as a group and their relationship to nature. Due to the fact that Swedish Federation for Disabled Persons have been an active partner throughout the project, work with increasing accessibility for the mobility impaired in the pilot woodlands has been both uncomplicated and innovative.

The international conferences and training courses can also be described as innovative since one of the aims was to create an arena where researchers and doers within the subject area could meet. This was also highlighted when the European Forum in Urban Forestry originating from IUFRO, took place in Stockholm with “Urban Woods for People” acting as host. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

There has been an improvement of recreational opportunities in all the pilot woodlands. An important contributing factor is that through increased publicity, the general public is better informed about the recreational possibilities available in the pilot woodlands. Especially significant given that the population living around the pilot woodlands is estimated at about 12 million. Better knowledge generates an increased interest for ones own local nature zone which in turn is a precondition for a more ecological mind-set for society in general. Knowledge about the importance of urban woodlands for Man’s well-being has also increased amongst those administrators, managers and others who have read the handbooks and manuals, the newsletters, taken part in the field trips, training courses and the conferences organised by “Urban Woods for People”. COST SAVING GAINS

A good example of measurable cost reduction gains is the result of litter management plan developed in Sénart. By removing 30 of 45 litter baskets, the volume of litter dropped by 80 %. This in turn led to a saving of two work days per week for litter collection. Physical activity requires suitable surroundings in order to take place. The urban woodland, or indeed nature around the corner, can be such a surrounding if it is correctly developed. “Urban Woods for People” has created a set of tools to shape and develop the urban woodland so that it better meets the needs of people thereby stimulating more recreation. The results show that more and more people find their way to the urban woodlands when one or more of these tools are used. It remains to be seen how large the cost reduction gains become as more people use the urban woodlands for recreational purposes with maintained or improved health as a result. Improving the health of the general public is a big money saver for society.

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The project has been implemented under the leadership of the Regional Forestry Board of Mälardalen www.svo.se, www.svo.se/urbanwoods E-mail: [email protected] The other Partners have been;

The National Board of Forestry, www.svo.se E-mail: [email protected]

Office National des Forêts, www.onf.fr E-mail: [email protected]

The Municipality of Huddinge www.huddinge.se, www.natur.huddinge.se E-mail: [email protected]

The Municipality of Haninge, www.haninge.se E-mail: [email protected]

The Royal Djurgården Administration www.kdf.se, www.djurgarden.se E-mail: [email protected]

Swedish Federation for Disabled Persons, www.dhr.se E-mail: [email protected] Further details about the project can be found on the Internet: www.svo.se/urbanwoods This report has been produced by the “Urban Woods for People” project with support from LIFE, the European Union’s financial instrument for the environment.